Effective Lead Generation Offers

If you’re like a lot of other B2B marketing professionals, lead generation remains a top business objective this year. Business remains tight, and everybody is struggling to keep their sales funnel full of engaged prospects. But what are the best offer strategies to garner the attention of prospective customers and entice them inquire? What will make them raise their hand and open the door for future communication and personal follow-up?

Although this certainly is not an all-inclusive list, here are a variety of lead generation offers that remain effective for our clients.

Webcasts

Webcasts continue to be one of the best lead generation offers in the arsenal.  Whether developed internally or in cooperation with a media partner or other 3rd party organization, a well-produced webcast is a great way to engage customers and begin an active dialogue with them – generating strong lead response while positioning your organization as a thought leader.

White Papers

Often utilizing similar material content as a webcast, white papers are one of the top lead generators being used today. The key is to a successful white paper is making the material editorial in nature rather than promotional. Create a piece that resonates with your target audience and people will come to get it.

Case Studies

Everyone loves case studies. Prospective customers like them because they provide a sense of security that the product or service they are buying will actually work in their application. If customers like them, your salespeople will obviously love them too. And finally, editors love to use them as contributed stories for their publications and Web sites.

E-books

One of the best things about e-books, other than their lead generation capabilities, is the diversity of content that can be integrated. Unlike printed documents, e-books can contain embedded links to audio and video files that can literally sell in the absence of a seller. In fact, many of the items included in this list can be compiled into a single e-book.

Product Samples

Naturally, this isn’t an option for everybody, but where economically and logistically feasible, product samples are one of the best lead generation offers available. What better way for a customer to evaluate your product than with an actual sample?

Videos and Animations

If a physical sample isn’t possible, a video demonstration may be the next best option to show your product in action.  Supply your sales team with flip video cameras and encourage them to shoot video case studies wherever possible.  Exhibiting at a trade show?  Live reports from the show floor are interesting and integrate nicely to your social media efforts.

Interactive Calculators and Online Tools

From total cost of ownership tools to online product configurators and cross references, interactive tools are another good way to demonstrate and differentiate your product from the competition.

Other Live and Virtual Events

From regional road shows to virtual conferences, these events put you face-to-face with customers, consultants, analysts, integrators and other target groups.

Use Different Offers for Different Purposes

When assembling your lead generation plans, consider as many of these offer strategies as you can.  Consult with your sales team and try to develop a well diversified offer portfolio that mirrors the informational needs your customers face at each step of their buying cycle.  The same offer you use to attract a prospect at their earliest research stages won’t likely be an effective means of keeping them engaged as they evaluate finalists.  Develop materials and offers that are both timely and relevant and you’ll do fine!